Reframing the Practice of Philosophy

George Yancy is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Duquesne University. His many books include Black Bodies, White Gazes: The Continuing Significance of Race.

"Editor Yancy and contributors have produced an important critique of philosophy. This edited collection is a significant postmodern examination of the philosophical canon as a barrier to women and people of color … Yancy makes philosophy turn a critical eye on itself in order to reassess what counts as philosophy and who counts as a philosophical expert. This is an indispensable volume for every library … Highly recommended." — CHOICE"If the 'imperialist route' of philosophy, with its alienation, marginalization, tokenization, and oppressive practices against bodies of color is failing us, George Yancy's compilation of insightful essays disclosing the ways in which African American and Latino philosophers survive, intervene in, and reframe philosophy does not fail. From deeply personal explorations of their lived experience in the midst of hegemonic practices of North American philosophy to analyses of the danger of canon formation and gatekeeping, to discussions of the importance of the role of geography and language in philosophical discourse, these philosophers help us envision a more inclusive and integrated philosophical field. Yancy dedicates the work to philosophers of color not yet born. Indeed, this anthology will inspire present and future philosophers of color—yet, this is a must read for all philosophers, as we would all benefit from a nonimperialist vision and practice of philosophy." — Mariana Ortega, coeditor of Constructing the Nation: A Race and Nationalism Reader"This extremely important volume of essays by a group of distinguished Black and Latino philosophers addresses a long-standing tradition in the discipline of ignoring many rather pressing concerns regarding race and social justice. Its existence is a clear sign that much-needed change is underway." — Tommy Lott, San José State University"The voices of people of color are marginalized in academic philosophy. Some other disciplines in the humanities have been more successful in addressing this problem. Reframing the Practice of Philosophy brings together a diverse group of philosophers to examine this important issue. They use personal insights and their philosophical skills to help readers understand what it means to be a person of color in the so-called 'Queen of all Sciences.'" — Howard McGary, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Inappropriate Philosophical Subjects?George YancyPART I: Colonization/Decolonization: Philosophy and Canon Formation1. Alien and AlienatedLinda Martín Alcoff2. Philosophy Raced, Philosophy ErasedCharles Mills3. Attracting Latinos/as to Philosophy: Today’s ChallengesOfelia Schutte4. Philosophical Canons and Philosophical Traditions: The Case of Latin American PhilosophyJorge J. E. Gracia5. Metaphilosophical Internalism and the Possibility of a Distinctive Latin American PhilosophyJesús H. AguilarPART II: Racism, the Academy, and the Practice of Philosophy6. On the Politics of Professional Philosophy: The Plight of the African-American PhilosopherJohn H. McClendon III7. Migrant, Migra, Mongrel: The Latin American Dishwasher, Busboy, and Colored/Ethnic/Diversity (Philosophy) HireEduardo Mendieta8. Why Are Hispanic Philosophers Marginalized in the American Philosophical Community?Gregory Fernando Pappas9. Philosophical Playa Hatin’: Race, Respect, and the Philosophy GameBill E. LawsonPART III: Gender, Ethnicity, and Race10. Toward a Place Where I Can Bring All of Me: Identity Formation and PhilosophyJacqueline Scott11. Re-Reading Plato’s Symposium through the Lens of a Black WomanDonna-Dale Marcano12. Defending Gender and Ethnic PhilosophiesOscar R. MartíPART IV: Philosophy and the Geopolitics of Knowledge Production13. Thinking at the Limits of Philosophy and Doing Philosophy Elsewhere: From Philosophy to Decolonial ThinkingNelson Maldonado-Torres14. Thinking Through the Americas Today: A Philosophical PerspectiveLewis R. GordonPART V: Philosophy, Language, and Hegemony15. Geneva Smitherman: The Social Ontology of African-American Languaging, the Power of Nommo, and the Dynamics of Resistance and Identity Through LanguageGeorge Yancy16. Language, Power, and Philosophy: Some Comments on the Exclusion of Spanish from the Philosophical CanonElizabeth Millan-Zaibert17. Linguistic Hegemony and Linguistic Resistance: English, Spanish, and American PhilosophyJosé MedinaContributor NotesIndex